Learner Variables

Question 1

Learner Variables

Zone of Proximal Development

The ______ between ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ and ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ in a learning setting. Vygotsky says teachers should target instruction within this zone.

Answer 1

The zone between what I can already do unaided and what I can do with scaffolding in a learning setting. Vygotsky says teachers should target instruction within this zone.

Question 2

Learner Variables

Scaffolding

Vygotsky’s term for the ______ ______ to a learner by a ______ or ______ ______ that enables that learner to ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ .

Answer 2

Vygotsky’s term for the support provided to a learner by a person or social environment that enables that learner to perform at a higher level than they could on their own.

Question 3

Learner Variables

Intrinsic Motivation

The learner finds learning ______ (e.g. ______ , ______ , ______ ) ______ and of ______ ______ of their ______ ______ to the language.

Answer 3

The learner finds learning rewarding (e.g. fun, interesting, challenging) in and of itself, regardless of their specific orientation to the language.

Question 4

Learner Variables

Extrinsic Motivation

The learner is motivated by ______ that are ______ the process of learning, such as ______ , ______ ______ , ______ , ______ with peers.

Answer 4

The learner is motivated by rewards that are outside the process of learning, such as grades, verbal praise, status, competition with peers.

Question 5

Learner Variables

Resultative Motivation

______ at ______ ______ learning activities ______ ______ for ______ similar activities (and past failure also may decrease future motivation, especially for North Americans)

Answer 5

Success at past language learning activities increases motivation for future similar activities (and past failure also may decrease future motivation, especially for North Americans)

Question 6

Learner Variables

Integrative Motivation

The student ______ ______ in learning the language because of its ______ ______ or ______ or for its ______ to the ______ (e.g. ______ ______ ______ or ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ )

Answer 6

The student invests energy in learning the language because of its intrinsic interest or appeal or for its value to the student (e.g. love for friends or relatives who speak the language)

Question 7

Learner Variables

Instrumental Motivation

The student ______ ______ in learning the language because of goals that are ______ to the language e.g. ______ ______ ______ , ______ ______ ______ ______ , ______ ______ ______

Answer 7

The student invests energy in learning the language because of goals that are external to the language e.g. getting a job, getting into graduate school, fulfilling parental ambitions

Question 8

Learner Variables

Social Distance

The ______ to which the learner is able to ______ with the ______ ______ _____ (_____), as opposed to remaining a ______ ______. This is affected not only by obvious factors such as ______ ______, but also by factors such as ______ the ______ and the ______ ______ ______ ______ as ______ ______, the degree to which ______ ______ wish ______ to take ______, and the degree to which ______ ______ are ______ and ______.

Answer 8

The degree to which the learner is able to integrate with the cultural target group (acculturation), as opposed to remaining a distant outsider. This is affected not only by obvious factors such as geographical proximity, but also by factors such as whether the learner and the group see each other as social equals, the degree to which both sides wish assimilation to take place, and the degree to which positive attitudes are shown and received.

Do I have access to the social circles that it it used?

Question 9

Learner Variables

Psychological Distance

*The degree to which the learner has a ______ ______ ______ toward learning the language – are they ______ to learn or ______ or ______ language shock by being in an overwhelming environment? Is the learning ______ or ______ This can affect not only ______ , but the degree of ______ to ______ one’s speech to the target language norms.

Answer 9

*The degree to which the learner has a positive psychological orientation toward learning the language – are they excited to learn or afraid or suffering language shock by being in an overwhelming environment? Is the learning voluntary or enforced? This can affect not only motivation, but the degree of willingness to accommodate one’s speech to the target language norms.

Mental view of the language

Question 10

Learner Variables

Learning Strategies

• ______ or ______ behaviors engaged in by students in order to develop their own ability in the ______ or their ability to ______ classroomv, e.g. ______ , ______ what one ______ in one’s ______ , using ______ or ______ ______ . Note: a learning strategy is something a learner does, not something a teacher does (common test error!)

Answer 10

*Physical or mental behaviors engaged in by students in order to develop their own ability in the language or their ability to negotiate classroom tasks, e.g. making a list, repeating what one hears in one’s head, using mnemonics or word association. Note: a learning strategy is something a learner does, not something a teacher does (common test error!)

Question 11

Learner Variables

Strategic Competence

*Strategic Competence is determined by ______ ______ ______ one has at ______ ______ and v or vthey are ______ ______ . To be competent is to have a choice of effective strategies.

Answer 11

*Strategic Competence is determined by how many strategies one has at one’s disposal and whether or not they are effective ones. To be competent is to have a choice of effective strategies.

Question 12

Learner Variables

Strategic Investment

*One may know a lot of strategies but fail to apply them; strategic investment is the ______ ______ ______ of ______ ______ to invest in one’s ______ ______ (e.g. choosing to make ______ ______ even though there is ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ). This clearly may be related to motivation, but is not the same thing – high motivation can go together with failure to apply good strategies (think of an enthusiastic but strategically incompetent sport player)

Answer 12

*One may know a lot of strategies but fail to apply them; strategic investment is the active application of learning strategies to invest in one’s own learning (e.g. choosing to make summary notes even though there is no assignment to do so). This clearly may be related to motivation, but is not the same thing – high motivation can go together with failure to apply good strategies (think of an enthusiastic but strategically incompetent sport player)

Question 13

Learner Variables

Language Aptitude

There are variations in individual aptitude for learning a language. General language aptitude includes ______ ______ ______ is at ______ ______ and ______ them to ______ , how sensitive one is to ______ ______ and v, and how good one is at ______ ______ (e.g. memorizing words). Clearly all of these are to some degree trainable, so this needs to be seen as a continuum and as changeable over time, not a matter of you’ve got it or you haven’t. There is evidence that general language aptitude is related to success in learning a language.

Hw good are you at learning a language?

Answer 13

There are variations in individual aptitude for learning a language. General language aptitude includes how good one is at decoding sounds and relate them to symbols, how sensitive one is to grammatical pattern and function, and how good one is at developing associations (e.g. memorizing words). Clearly all of these are to some degree trainable, so this needs to be seen as a continuum and as changeable over time, not a matter of you’ve got it or you haven’t. There is evidence that general language aptitude is related to success in learning a language.

Question 14

Learner Variables

Accommodation
______ ______ ______ to ______ ______ but ______ a ______ of it but ______

Answer 14

Small scale actions to fit in but not a member of it but temporary

Question 15

Learner Variables

Acculturation

Answer 15

______ a ______ of the ______ and doing it ______ the ______ when ______ ______ ______ ______

Question 16

Learner Variables

Learner Identity

*A learner brings to the classroom a ______ of preferred ______ ______ a ______ , an ______ , a ______ , a set of ______ or ______ ______ ______ (e.g. I like being the class clown, or I am seen and see myself as smart and hardworking), and other aspects of who they are that may affect their (and their teacher’s!) behavior, motivation, orientation, strategic investment, and distance

Answer 16

*A learner brings to the classroom a cluster of preferred learning styles, a gender, an ethnicity, a culture, a set of preferred or imposed social roles (e.g. I like being the class clown, or I am seen and see myself as smart and hardworking), and other aspects of who they are that may affect their (and their teacher’s!) behavior, motivation, orientation, strategic investment, and distance

Question 17

Learner Variables

Learning Styles
A term referring to the ways in which different individuals ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ of l ______ (e.g. being very visually oriented).

Answer 17

A term referring to the ways in which different individuals naturally lean towards particular modes of learning (e.g. being very visually oriented).

Question 18

Learner Variables

Relevance to Identity

Answer 18

• Identity factors can interact with language learning in an endless variety of ways, for example:
• I am female and trained in a culture in which females are to remain silent in mixed company, so I avoid speaking aloud in class;
• I am from a home or national culture that regards multilingualism as unusual and sees language learning as unusually hard, so I am daunted by the task;
• I am from a culture where the activities or vocabulary items practiced in the textbook or the learning activities are unfamiliar, so I am disadvantaged;
• I have a high need to sustain an image of perfection and high GPA and so am reluctant to engage in high-risk learning activities where experimentation or creativity might reduce my control over learning;
• Status among my friends is sustained by humor and verbal performance, so I like to deliberately mispronounce words in class for humorous effect or to show resistance to the school system;
• The degree of xenophobia (fear of foreigners) or xenophilia (love of foreigners) imbibed during my upbringing may affect my openness to foreign language learning

Question 19

Learner Variables

*Lev Vygotsky (Psychologist)
*Saw learning as pulled from the learner by ______ ______ rather than arising from ______ . A learner can do more with ______ – support provided by another person – than they can unaided. Learning happens in the ______ of ______ ______ – the zone between what ______ ______ ______ and ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ .

Answer 19

*Saw learning as pulled from the learner by social interaction rather than arising from within. A learner can do more with scaffolding – support provided by another person – than they can unaided. Learning happens in the Zone of Proximal Development – the zone between what I can do unaided and what I could do with assistance.